NDC Drug Directory: FDA National Drug Code Lookup & Search

Search the US FDA National Drug Code (NDC) Directory by product NDC, brand or generic name, active ingredient, labeler or pharmacologic class. Returns ingredients and strength, dosage form, route, product type, marketing category, application number, package NDCs and RxCUI. Free CC0 openFDA data.

What does NDC Drug Directory do?

Search the official FDA National Drug Code (NDC) Directory by NDC, brand, generic name, ingredient, labeler or drug class.

What can you use it for?

• Validate or enrich NDC codes in pharmacy, claims or inventory data.
• List every product and package NDC for an active ingredient such as metformin.
• See all drugs listed by a labeler or manufacturer.
• Map NDCs to RxNorm RxCUI, pharmacologic class and DEA schedule.

Why use this Actor?

• Fast and cheap: lightweight HTTP-based Actor with no browser, so runs finish in seconds and cost very little.
• No API keys or accounts needed for the data source (see notes below).
• Clean, structured JSON that you can export as CSV, Excel, JSON or XML, or pull through the Apify API and integrations.
• Scheduling, webhooks and integrations: run it daily and send results to Google Sheets, Slack, Zapier, Make, n8n or your own API.

Input

Configure the run in the Input tab (all fields have sensible defaults).

Field	Type	Required	Default	Description
query	string	yes	-	e.g. metformin, Lipitor, 85534-0012, a labeler name such as Pfizer, or a class such as Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug.
searchField	string (active_ingredients.name / brand_name / generic_name / product_ndc / labeler_name / pharm_class)	no	"active_ingredients.name"	Which NDC Directory field to match.
maxResults	integer	no	50	Maximum number of products.
apiKey	string	no	-	Free key from open.fda.gov raises the rate limit. Stored encrypted.

Example input

{
  "query": "metformin",
  "maxResults": 20
}

Output

Results are stored in the default dataset. Download them from the Output tab or via the API.

Example result

{
  "productNdc": "63629-8502",
  "brandName": "METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE",
  "genericName": "METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE",
  "labelerName": "Bryant Ranch Prepack",
  "activeIngredients": "METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE",
  "strengths": "500 mg/1",
  "dosageForm": "TABLET",
  "route": "ORAL",
  "productType": "HUMAN PRESCRIPTION DRUG",
  "marketingCategory": "ANDA",
  "applicationNumber": "ANDA203769",
  "marketingStartDate": "2015-02-01T00:00:00.000Z",
  "listingExpirationDate": "2026-12-31T00:00:00.000Z",
  "packageNdcs": "63629-8502-1",
  "packages": "100 TABLET in 1 BOTTLE (63629-8502-1)",
  "pharmClass": "Biguanide [EPC], Biguanides [CS]",
  "deaSchedule": null,
  "rxcui": "861007",
  "splSetId": "76879512-3ab4-4acf-92e6-bba0fb75dd0e",
  "scrapedAt": "2026-10-21T20:40:45.207Z"
}

Output fields

Field	Type	Example
productNdc	string	"63629-8502"
brandName	string	"METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE"
genericName	string	"METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE"
labelerName	string	"Bryant Ranch Prepack"
activeIngredients	string	"METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE"
strengths	string	"500 mg/1"
dosageForm	string	"TABLET"
route	string	"ORAL"
productType	string	"HUMAN PRESCRIPTION DRUG"
marketingCategory	string	"ANDA"
applicationNumber	string	"ANDA203769"
marketingStartDate	string	"2015-02-01T00:00:00.000Z"
listingExpirationDate	string	"2026-12-31T00:00:00.000Z"
packageNdcs	string	"63629-8502-1"
packages	string	"100 TABLET in 1 BOTTLE (63629-8502-1)"
pharmClass	string	"Biguanide [EPC], Biguanides [CS]"
deaSchedule	null	null
rxcui	string	"861007"
splSetId	string	"76879512-3ab4-4acf-92e6-bba0fb75dd0e"
scrapedAt	string	"2026-10-21T20:40:45.207Z"

How much does it cost?

The Actor is billed by Apify according to the pricing shown on the Pricing tab of this page. Runs are small and fast, and the Apify Free plan includes monthly platform credits so you can try it at no cost. You can set a maximum cost per run, and the Actor stops cleanly when that limit is reached.

Notes and limitations

• Source: openFDA NDC Directory endpoint (US FDA). One row per product NDC; all package NDCs of the product are listed in one row.
• Application number, pharmacologic class, DEA schedule, RxCUI and listing expiration are empty for some products (e.g. unapproved or unfinished drugs). Informational only, not medical advice.

Tips

• Start with a small test run, then scale up the input.
• Use Schedules to automate recurring runs and Webhooks or Integrations to deliver the data where you need it.
• Call the Actor from your code with the Apify API or the official JavaScript and Python clients.

FAQ

Which NDC format should I use?

Use the product NDC with the dash, e.g. 0002-3227 or 85534-0012, as shown on the label (labeler-product).

Can I use my own openFDA key?

Yes, paste it in the optional API key field for higher rate limits.

Feedback

Found a bug or need an extra field? Open an issue from the Issues tab of this Actor and it will be looked at quickly.

More tools from the same author

• FDA Drug Label Search: Ingredients, Warnings & Indications - Search official FDA drug labels: active ingredients, indications, warnings, dosage and manufacturers.
• Drug Shortages: FDA Drug Shortage Database Search & Tracker - Search the official US FDA drug shortage list by drug, company or therapeutic area with status, availability and reason.
• US Doctor & Provider Search: NPI Registry Lookup - Find US healthcare providers by name, state, city or specialty from the official NPI registry.